The Roommates
by LucyLenn96
Summary: What if Fez had not allowed Jackie to continue to share their apartment after she left the bathtub running? What if there was nothing left for her to do but move in with the Formans…including Steven Hyde and his stripper wife, Sam. What happens when you force ex-lovers with a lot of unresolved feelings together under one roof? This is their story.
1. Chapter 1

Jackie Burkhart is a lot of things. Beautiful, stylish, smart, calculating…there are plenty of things working in her favor. Luck, however, is not one of them.

This is not a new revelation. Once, when she was a young child, her parents had taken her to her first horseback riding lesson. The people at the stables assured her that she was on the gentlest horse they had. Snowflake was an older horse that they had for almost 7 years and had never given even one tiny kick while a rider was on. Amazingly enough, the horse shook Jackie off in less than 3 seconds, and she fell and broke her left wrist.

This unlucky streak followed her into her teenage years, particularly in the department of love. Not that she ever had any trouble finding a boyfriend, as beauty was a gift that she had been graced with. But she had a tendency to be betrayed by the boys that she did engage with. Most people don't know this about her, but she's actually been cheated on by every boyfriend she's ever had, including Damien King whom she dated in the eighth grade. She caught him "learning lines" with Travis Krasinski backstage during rehearsal for the eighth grade school play. Needless to say, luck in love was _not_ on her side.

Although she is quick to throw out a back-handed compliment and can manipulate boys with the best of them, she is an unwaveringly loyal friend. This makes her quick to trust those who hand her even the smallest bits of affection. That's probably why she spent so much time in the denial stage when her father went to prison, or why she's almost always able to forgive the men who betray her and then come back later.

Except Steven. Not even her steadfast loyalty could reach that far down. There was a lot that could be forgiven, but marrying another woman was not on the list.

Luck. Something she's never had. _Especially_ not tonight when she fell asleep with the bathtub running.

 _SLAM!_

Jackie jumped at he sound of Fez's door slamming. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her throat was tightening as tears were starting to make their way to her eyes. Squeezing her eyes tightly to keep them from escaping, she tried to think of anywhere that she could go. She could NOT go back to Donna's; she had too much pride for that. Not that she'd ever say it this way, but she couldn't bear to ask Mr. Pinciotti to give her any more than he already had. He had already been so generous.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the room to grab her purse. Steven and his stripper-wife were fighting like cats and whores these days, and being a bitch to sluts had always made her feel better.

—-

Jackie made her way up the Forman's driveway, scanning the property as she walked for any signs of Steven or Sam. Walking through the clear sliding glass door, she found Donna sitting at the table snacking on some of Mrs. Forman's homemade brownies.

"Hey Jackie," Donna said briefly after glancing up from the table.

"Hey…" Jackie sighed as she sank down into the chair next to her.

Donna narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What happened to you?"

"Donna, I do _not_ wanna talk about it right now." Jackie said in total exasperation.

Donna smiled slightly and giggled at this. "Well that's a first." This made Jackie laugh a little bit and she looked up at Donna. Her expression changed as an idea came to her head.

"Hey Donna…is the radio station looking for any extra employees. I may not know as much about the loud, grungy junk that you play, but I am an expert when it comes to Disco and Top 40!" At this point, finding a job to help her pay for her own place was just about her only choice. What she'd do until then…who knew.

Donna shook her head and shrugged somewhat apologetically, "No I'm sorry Jackie. My boss wanted some more 'male energy' so he just hired this super annoying guy named Bruno." Donna then rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's just say I don't think he got the kind of energy he was looking for."

Jackie tried to laugh with Donna, but her nerves were starting to creep up on her. "Well thanks anyway, Donna."

"Yeah no problem. I mean, you could always go back to the Cheese Shop." Donna replied, with a teasing smile on her lips.

At this Jackie laughed and lightly pushed Donna's shoulder back, "Get out of here, you lumberjack!"

Donna shook her blonde head and got up to leave through the sliding doors. After Jackie saw her leave, she allowed her smile to fade and she tried to shake off the anxiety that she was feeling.

"Well hello there, Jackie! What a nice surprise!" Kitty Forman exclaimed as she walked in from the living room.

Turning around in her chair, Jackie faked a small smile at the woman who was basically a second mother to her. "Hi Mrs. Forman."

Mrs. Forman grabbed some plates from the cupboard and starting piling brownies on to them, "Now what brings you by this evening? Ooh! Wait- I know. You heard I made my special brownies and you just couldn't resist!" She answered, letting out one of her signature laughs as she plopped one of the plates in front of Jackie.

Relieved, Jackie played along. "Yep, Mrs. Forman. You caught me." She said, slapping a cheesy smile on her face. As Kitty sat down next to her, her smile started to fade. "Actually, Mrs. Forman…I'm kind of in trouble." She confessed, picking at her brownies nervously.

Frowning, Mrs. Forman reached out and put her hand on Jackie's forearm. "Oh no, dear. What's wrong?" She narrowed her eyes, "Did you get kicked out of the food court at the mall for protesting fat people again?"

Jackie rolled her eyes and finally looked Mrs. Forman in the eye. "No, it's actually a lot worse than that." She could feel the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening welling up in her eyes again. "Fez kicked me out of our apartment."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry!" Mrs. Forman said as she brushed some hair behind Jackie's ear. "Why would he do something like that?"

Suddenly the tears started to fall.

"I flooded the bathtub!" She cried, putting her face in her hand as the older woman rubbed her back. "I had been cleaning all day! I was so tired; I just wanted to spend the evening relaxing in the tub! I feel _so bad_ that I was so mean to my maids all those years! Their job is EXHAUSTING."

"Ohhh now there, it's going to be okay Jackie." Mrs. Forman comforted. "I'm sure if you just talk to Fez…"

"No Mrs. Forman, he's really mad at me." Jackie interrupted, looking up at Kitty with watery eyes. Her lip quivered while she tried to keep it together. "I don't know what I'm gonna do…" Jackie confessed quietly.

Without evening blinking, Mrs. Forman responded. "Well you can just move into Laurie's room!"

Jackie froze.

"Really?" She asked softly, quickly remembering and shaking her head. "No, I'm sorry Mrs. Forman. I just couldn't."

"Well why not? Laurie certainly isn't coming home from…wherever she is anytime soon! Oh I would just _love_ to have another lady around the house." She giggled excitedly.

This made Jackie smile; this meant she had completely forgotten about Steven's whorey wife living with them. Or just didn't think of her as a lady.

She could understand why.

For a moment, Jackie imagined what it would be like to live with the Forman's. She'd come home to home-cooked meals every night, could maybe go out to the garage and work on the car with Red…it'd be like having a real family, something she desperately wanted.

Just as she was starting to romanticize it she shook her head no, "Mrs. Forman…that's so kind of you, but I can't." She dropped her head to stare at her hands in her lap, "I don't think I could live in the same house as Steven and…well you know." Taking a deep breath and pulling herself together she looked up at Mrs. Forman, "I mean we _all know_ that I'm the best he's ever had! I mean God forbid I even present the temptation." She said in her typical, condescending manner.

Mrs. Forman saw right through her.

Taking her hand in hers, "Jackie, I know that Steven has not been very kind to you these days…" Mrs. Forman paused before continuing, "and as the woman who is basically his mother…well that makes me very sad." Mrs. Forman's voice was shaking as she tried to collect herself. "Let me do this for you. Red and I want to help you." She said kindly.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Jackie thought to herself. Where else would she go? _Where else would she want to go?_

Opening her eyes, Jackie smiled sweetly at Mrs. Forman.

"Ok. Thank you, Mrs. Forman."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Just wanted to say thank you, thank you to everyone who has followed this story! This story is going to be a multi-chapter, romantic comedy style story. I'm trying to keep some of the original humor of the show while also adding in some of the characterization that Season 8 was severely lacking…but I hope you all continue to enjoy it and would be kind enough to leave a review! DISCLAIMER- I in no way own That 70's Show or any of it's characters!_

Even though Jackie was unlucky, she often countered that with her secret intelligence. Growing up, she had always presented herself as a girl who's interests didn't reach too far past Donny & Marie and her love for unicorns. But every now and then she would find a reason to let her smarts shine. She's found herself doing a lot more of that now that she's older and…well orphaned. The people around her make a difference too.

Especially Steven.

It had been three whole days since Jackie had moved in with the Forman's, and Steven and his stripper wife _still_ didn't know.

This was a strategic play on Jackie's part. She had had Fez help her move all of her things at a time when she knew that Steven would be working at Grooves for several hours. It also didn't hurt that he spent almost all of his time at home wasting away in the basement with his collection of vices, Sam included.

Dinner had been the trickiest part. She treated Fez to a meal at the Hub on the first day, as a thank you for helping her with her stuff. It's likely their friendship will improve now that the pressures of living together are off. Jackie knew she wasn't ready to face her ex-lover with his new one, plus all of the ridicule she would get when he learned why she had been kicked out.

The second night, with Red's permission, she loaded up her plate and took it to her room. She barely missed Steven climbing up the stairs of the basement to the kitchen.

She knew this couldn't last forever, but it was working for now. She liked to think that Red would keep trying to subtly protect her feelings as if she were his own daughter, now that she's staying in her room and all.

Taking a deep breath, Jackie opened the sliding doors and walked in from the driveway. She sighed in relief when she found only Mr. Forman relaxing with a beer at the table and Mrs. Forman stirring soup at the stove.

Mrs. Forman looked over to her right to greet her warmly, "Well hello, Jackie! Happy first day of Fall!"

Jackie smiled and went to sit down at the table next to Mr. Forman, who was rolling his eyes at his wife's excitement.

"Kitty, for the last time September 21st is _not_ a holiday!" Red said with his signature scowl, "And if you're having a party I swear to God…"

Kitty just laughed and reached for her oven mit.

"No silly there's no party. It just feels good to be excited about something! Don't you think, Jackie?"

Jackie felt her heart warm the rest of her chest. It felt so good to feel like she was a part of a family.

"Yes it is, Mrs. Forman." Jackie smiled warmly up at her as Kitty pulled cornbread out of the oven.

"Ooooh, cornbread. I love cornbread." Jackie heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway between the kitchen and the stairs to the basement. She could feel her whole body tense just from the sound of his voice.

Kitty looked over her shoulder, "Hi, Steven! Happy first day of, Fall!"

Hyde gave her a small but sweet grin, one Jackie had only ever seen him give two people. He kissed her on the cheek and Kitty beamed.

He walked over to the table and Jackie looked up at him with a blank expression on her face.

"Hey, Steven." Hyde gave her a look of slight confusion, but figured she was just here for a free meal just like Donna or Fez would be. He sat down next to her.

"Hey. How was your day of unemployment?"

Jackie's eyes narrowed in unamusement. Just as she was opening her mouth to fight back, Red interrupted her.

"So Steven, how's your wife? Did you two stop fighting and waking me up in the middle of night like I told you to? Or am I gonna have to put my foot in your ass?"

This was effective at shutting Hyde up, so Jackie shot Red a look and he gave her a small wink and a nod.

What was weird was that it was the _exact_ thing that Steven had done when he taught her to be zen. Jackie started to wonder if maybe Steven had seen Mr. Forman as a father for so long that he had started to pick up his habits the way a biological son would have.

It almost make Jackie think fondly of Steven. _Almost._

Mrs. Forman approached the table to finish placing her expertly prepared dinner. "Now Steven, you're going to have to try and be nicer now that Jackie's…"

"Joining us for dinner on Fridays." Mr. Forman interrupted.

Jackie quickly nodded. "Yes, thank you again Mrs. Forman. For letting me eat dinner here. Just dinner. On Fridays." She smiled nervously at Mrs. Forman.

Mrs. Forman seemed to get the hint because she just sighed and kissed Jackie on the head.

"You're welcome, dear. Now- let's eat!" She exclaimed, letting out her signature Kitty laugh.

The rest of dinner was tolerable. Hyde didn't say much, which made Jackie nervous, but it wasn't enough to make her think he understood what was really going on. She stayed behind afterward to help Mrs. Forman do the dishes, something she normally wouldn't do for fear of messing up her manicure, but she was so grateful to be staying here that it just seemed like the right thing to be doing.

"You know, Jackie, we're going to have to tell him eventually." Mrs. Forman said as she dove her hands into the suds.

Jackie sighed and grabbed the wet dish from Mrs. Forman and began to dry. "I know, I know…I'm just so tired of fighting with him."

"Well I for one am also very tired of the way he's been treating you. I mean it's not your fault he brought home a stripper!" Mrs. Forman said, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Exactly!" Jackie agreed with her. "And it's not my fault that he thinks that it is, either."

As she dried the dishes, however, her sassy expression shifted into something more earnest. This conversation was giving her flashbacks to that night in her hotel room in June.

Ice flying. Wide eyes. Steven walking away from her forever. From the life they could have had together.

She winced and tried to distract herself by focusing drying the already completely dry plate.

Steven may have robbed her of her old future, but she'd be damned if she'd let him take away her new one.

It was a little passed midnight when Jackie woke up with a parched feeling in her throat, deciding to get out of bed and grab a glass of water. Throwing on her robe over her flannel pajamas, she opened the door of Laurie's old room.

"Jackie?"

Jackie froze, realizing that she had come face to face with Sam in the upstairs hallway of the Forman house. In her pajamas.

"Um…" Jackie began, "Is there… _any_ chance you're a sleepwalker?"

Sam simply stared at her.

"HYDE!"

"Shhhhh!" Jackie fruitlessly shushed the tall blonde.

In a matter of seconds, Hyde appeared from behind the door to what used to be Eric's room. The room that, for some reason, the couple was apparently sleeping in tonight.

"Jackie?" Hyde questioned, rubbing his eyes from his sudden exit from sleep.

Jackie hated when he did this. It made him look like a little boy, and that was way too endearing. Made it way too easy to want to take care of him.

"Shhh! You're dreaming!" She whisper-yelled. Trying to trick the pair, knowing that Sam would be a whole lot easier than Steven.

Hyde grimaced at her crazy explanation. "What are you doing here?" He looked at her closer as he continued to wake up. "Why are you in your pajamas?"

Jackie sighed, realizing that there was virtually no way of getting around this anymore.

"I may or may not have moved in with the Formans."

This made both Steven and Samantha's eyes widen.

"What? When did you do this? _Why_ did you do this?" Hyde questioned her frantically, taking a step toward her in all the excitement.

Jackie swallowed hard, an involuntary reaction of being so close to a shirtless Steven after going so long without bearing witness to it.

"Well…it didn't exactly work out between Fez and me as roommates. So the Forman's offered to let me live in Laurie's room until I found a job and a place of my own."

Jackie knew it wasn't the exact truth, but it was the basic idea of what happened. That was all Steven really deserved from her anymore.

Steven smirked. "What went wrong? Fez get one too many shots of you in the bubble bath?" He teased her.

"Why? Did you wanna ask him for some?" She smirked right back. Two could play at that game.

That's what used to get them into trouble.

Sam scrunched her nose up at the hostile, yet flirty interaction between the two ex-lovers. "Hyde, I'm going back to sleep. I suggest you join me." She said bitchily, stomping back into Eric's old room.

Jackie rolled her eyes and looked up at Hyde. "Why can't you guys live in the basement like you always have?"

Hyde folded his arms across his chest, "Sorry, cot's too small for Sam and I's amazing sex life."

Jackie mimed a gagging motion.

Chuckling slightly at that, Hyde rolled his eyes and surrendered. "And it's just too much…togetherness for me. I gotta retain my freedom, man."

Jackie couldn't help but remember how perfect the size of the cot had been for them. How it had been just the right amount of "togetherness" for them. How sometimes he had even asked her to cuddle with him on it…

Jackie lifted her eyebrows in faux belief, "Right…freedom."

After a moment of awkward silence, Jackie extended an olive branch.

"Look if we're both gonna live here…can we at least _try_ and be nice to each other?"

This seemed to feed Hyde's flame. "Oh I don't know, maybe if you can _try_ not to be such a spoiled brat." He smirked in what he thought was victory.

Jackie rolled her eyes and slapped her leg in exasperation, moving toward the stairs to finally get her water.

"Wait, wait…come on Jackie." Hyde said as he grabbed her elbow to turn her around. He sighed loudly. "Ok. I _guess_ can _try_ to get along. If no other reason than to make Mrs. Forman happy."

Jackie crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him expectantly.

"Jackie…come on man." Hyde stuck his hand out. "Shake on it?"

Jackie's eyes dropped to his hand. Taking a deep breath, she shook it. "Ok! It's a deal." She said in a slightly pessimistic tone.

They shook hands. After realizing that their hands had stayed embraced for an awkwardly long amount of time, Jackie yanked hers back and made her way downstairs. She stole one glance back, and she saw Steven staring down at his right hand and rubbing it slightly with his left one.

This almost made Jackie smile. _Almost._


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much to everyone who clicked the follow button for this story! I'm so sorry about the dramatically long wait, but I'm back and plan to update one a week from now on! I was having some confusion about the direction I wanted the story to take, but now I have it all mapped out and much of it typed up! Hope you all enjoy this one. We get to see quite a bit of Red Forman because in my opinion you can never have too much Red Forman! Please take the time to leave a review if you are able to! It's very encouraging. :)_

It had been just over a week since Hyde and Jackie had made their pact to get along- for Mrs. Forman's sake of course. They were doing a…mediocre job holding to it.

Okay so they were doing a terrible job holding to it.

It wasn't that they hadn't tried! One morning when Hyde was running late to the store, he had griped that he wouldn't have time to make himself a cup of coffee. So Jackie had offered him her freshly brewed cup as a peace offering, only to have him reject it.

"No offense Jackie, but you are completely incapable of making a cup of coffee without it tasting totally burnt. How have you not figured that out by now?"

This prompted Jackie to dump the cup onto his shoes.

Then a few a days later Hyde offered Jackie a ride to her job interview down at the Post Office while he was on his way to drop of Sam at the seedy gentleman's club she's been working at. Jackie appreciated the gesture and accepted his offer, but was unable to make it the ten minute drive without firing insult after insult at Sam and Hyde's shambly marriage.

Needless to say, she walked the rest of the way to the Post Office.

Walking down from her room after her typical morning beauty routine, she shook her head in irritation at the thought of her and Steven's most recent interactions. How dare he be such a jerk to her? He was the one who had fucked up. Not her.

When she arrived at the table, her scowl turned into a smile. Waffles. Her favorite.

She sat down and grabbed her fork to spear the lonely last waffle, when BAM!

Steven's fork violently stabbed the waffle and shoved what he could of it into his mouth.

He turned his head to glance at her with a full mouth, a mostly blank expression, and a lifted eyebrow. She stared back at him with her mouth open wide in shock.

This. Was. War.

"STEVEN!" Jackie screamed in anger.

"Jus' bein' the disgussin pig I apparently ahm." Steven responded with his mouth full of stolen waffle. Jackie yanked his plate out from under him, tearing the waffle and leaving half of it on the plate and the other half suspended in the air on Hyde's fork.

Jackie stood up and walked away from him toward the bar. "UGH! You are SO infuriating! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Steven finally swallowed and stood up to stalk towards her. "Gee, Jackie! I'd love to leave you alone. There's just this one problem… oh right! You're ALWAYS here!" Hyde yanked the plate back to him.

Jackie pursed her lips and her face flushed with anger and hurt. She refused to let go of what should have been _her_ waffle.

"Jackie… YOU moved in to MY house. What did you expect this to be like?"

"Oh I don't know! I guess I expected for you to have a maturity level even just a _little_ bit higher than that of a 5TH GRADER!"

This escalated the tug of war for the plate of abused waffle.

"For the love of God, would you two SHUT UP?" Red Forman entered the kitchen from the living room in his Forman and Son's work shirt, his trademark Red Forman 'I can't believe these dumbasses' grimace on his face.

The two dumbasses froze at his entrance and both surrendered the plate. It landed shattered on the floor of the Forman kitchen, a sad half-waffle dead among the pieces.

"Good morning, Red." Hyde said slowly after a moment of uncomfortable pause. "Jackie and I here were just…"

"Rehearsing for a play." Jackie chimed in.

"Exactly. We most definitely were not…fighting over a plate. Or intentionally breaking your dishes" Hyde lied nervously. At least the second part was true.

"Of course not! Just an occupational hazard of the job. You never know where…where the craft will take you, you know?" Jackie extrapolated.

Red stared at them in disbelief.

"You kids are just as…full of crap as you've always been. THIS IS WHERE I EAT DAMNIT!"

Both Hyde and Jackie wilted under the force of Red's rage. Red put his hands up and closed his eyes.

"Look you two - I've had enough of this crap! Kitty and I did not take you BOTH in for you to be an…occupational hazard." He glared at Jackie. She swallowed hard. "If this crap doesn't stop, you're both going to have to find another place to live. Because I'm done with this, you hear me?"

"Yes sir…"

"Red come on man…"

"Steven! I mean it…" Red took a step toward them and softened his gaze ever so slightly. "Man up, son. This is not how we raised you."

Hyde pursed his lips and lowered his gaze in embarrassment. He glanced at Jackie, her lower lip was trembling like a child who had been scolded by their father. He could tell she was trying not to cry.

"I'm sorry, Red. I'll clean all this up."

"Yeah I'm so, so sorry Mr. Forman." Jackie said shakily. Trembling, she turned slightly away from Steven so he couldn't see the tears behind her eyes.

Red sighed and placed his hand on Jackie's shoulder. "It's alright Jackie. But…" she looked up at him with wide eyes, "I need you two to act like grown ups." She nodded and Red's grimace returned. "And NOT like dumbasses!"

With this Red stepped over the pile of broken glass and breakfast food and exited out the sliding door.

Hyde and Jackie stood there facing each other in uncomfortable silence. After taking a deep breath, Jackie moved to walk past him.

"I'll go get the broom that's down in the basement." Hyde grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"No Jackie I'll take care of all this; you shouldn't have too."

Jackie nodded slightly, "Okay."

"I just…I don't know how to do this with you." Hyde said slowly and softly.

Tears rushed to Jackie's throat and she took a deep breath out her mouth to try and keep them at bay. _"Do what?"_ She wanted to ask him, but she already knew the answer. Be friends. Forgive each other. Stop being haunted by this crazy, messy…incredible, passionate love they used to have for each other.

Everything.

"Me too." Jackie smiled at him sadly before turning to walk away from him through the sliding door.

Hyde waited for her to look back at him through the glass, as she usually did any time she walked away from him.

She didn't.

He looked down at the jagged pieces of broken yellow glass.

Broken pieces. Isn't this what they always wound up with?

Jackie stopped when she reached the end of the worn down driveway. Tears were blurring her vision as she tried as hard as she could to keep them from tumbling down the cliffs of her eyes. She closed her eyes and a few escaped. She wanted to surrender, she really did. But she was still so _mad_ at Steven. All she had ever tried to do was love him. Believe in him. _Encourage_ him.

Every time he accused her of pushing him all she was trying to do was convince him that his future was one worth fighting for. That _their_ future was worth fighting for.

One way or another, she would have to find some way to move on and forgive him or suck it up and deal with the pain. She hadn't found a job yet and would truly have no place to go if she got kicked out of the Forman's.

At least Steven had a job. And another Dad if he really got in a bind.

She missed her Dad.

Wiping stray tears from her flushed cheeks, she turned over her shoulder to walk back up the driveway. She came to find Mr. Forman in the open garage tinkering with the Toyota. She stopped in front of the garage, not wanting to take him by surprise or draw attention to herself after having so recently crossed him.

Tip-toeing towards the house, Jackie was almost home free.

"Come here, Jackie."

Her eyes squeezed shut and she slowly walked toward the car.

"Yes sir?" She asked timidly.

"Come hold the flashlight for me."

Her insides warmed and a slight smile graced her lips. It had been years since the first time she had done this, and it felt just as good to be needed now as it did then. She grabbed the flashlight and aimed it at the spot that Mr. Forman was pointing at.

He nodded at her in approval and then continued his work. Jackie still couldn't quite bring herself to say anything so she just stood stiffly, trying to stay as still as possible so she could keep her title of Flashlight Queen.

"You know Jackie…" Mr. Forman began, leaning up and wiping his hands awkwardly on his jeans, "Kitty and I are awfully disappointed in the way Steven's been treating you. I know you must be too."

Jackie was surprised by his confession and just shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah I guess this whole year's been pretty…disappointing. I guess I just thought something good might happen, you know? I had two _great_ things, Steven and that job offer. And I just gambled on the wrong one I guess."

At this Mr. Forman's eyes grew softer.

"Look Jackie," he took a step toward her "I know how hard it must be to miss somebody who's right in front of you. I imagine that's how Kitty felt when I came back from the war. I was here, but I wasn't _really_ here. If Steven's anything like me, it'll take some time…but he'll come back."

Jackie smiled. "Thank you."

Mr. Forman nodded curtly and cleared his throat. "Alright then, let's get this damn thing fixed."

Jackie happily returned the flashlight to the spot on the engine. Even if Steven never came back, maybe she had found something even better. A family.


End file.
